Muscling In On Back Pain

February 2, 1985|By DIANE KELLER-BREWER,Special to the News/Sun-Sentinel

It`s estimated that 80 to 90 percent of Americans will experience chronic back pain at some

time in their lives. The culprit is the increasingly sedentary lifestyle most Americans enjoy, but long hours spent sitting behind desks and incorrect lifting, bending, sleeping and sitting also contribute to this nagging health problem. The pain can increase with age as added pounds appear and exercise opportunities decrease.

Women suffer backaches from wearing high heels and often during pregnancy, when the abdominal muscles become slack and the center of gravity is pulled forward. Emotional or job-related stress and tension exacerbate physical back problems. Backaches commonly occur after a sudden auto stop, overexertion in athletics, after a fall, sneeze, twist, or even after picking up a pencil. The important thing to remember is that you probably set yourself up for the pain by poor habits.

Muscles of the back

Four basic sets of muscles maintain the integrity of the lower back. Because chronic back problems usually result from poor balance and tone of the supporting muscles, weak or lax muscles usually are found on one side with tight muscles on the opposite side. This leads to exaggerated curvatures that put undue pressure on the delicate soft tissues of the back.

Exercises that stretch the tight muscles and strengthen the lax ones will alleviate or prevent back problems in most cases. When muscles contract they cause movement about the joints which they cross. Specific body parts move by virtue of their weight and where the muscles attach.

In the lower back, muscles that cause posterior pelvis tilt flatten the lumbar curve, decreasing back strain. Conversely, the muscles which cause anterior tilt of the pelvis increase the lumbar curve -- a condition called lordosis or swayback.

The iliopsoas is the prime mover for hip flexion, causing the thigh to move forward or the torso to move toward the leg. By virtue of its attachment, the iliopsoas pulls the low back into lordosis as it contracts.

Stretch iliopsoas with the sprinter`s lunge.

The paraspinals pull the upper back down and the back of the pelvis up, causing hyperextension of the spine and a deepening of the lumbar curve.

Stretch paraspinals with the mad cat stretch, and by pulling the knees to the chest while lying on the back. The gluteals pull the thigh backwards and the back of the pelvis down, causing hip extension or flattening of the lumbar curve.